Thursday, October 26, 2006

The simple act of writing something criticising the conspiracy theories about the Madrid bombings and those who propagate them can be sufficient cause for supporters of this campaign to launch accusations that the writer either works for, or has links to, those involved in the alleged conspiracy behind the bombings. I want to state my position openly and clearly from the beginning, I have no such connection. I am not a member of any political party in Spain, I have no direct or indirect connection to any of the media or political organisations involved in the controversy over the bombings, I am just an Englishman who has decided to make his life in Madrid.

I simply do not believe that the Madrid train bombings were carried out with either the involvement of ETA, or the involvement of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE). I respect the presumption of innocence against those who have been accused of carrying out the attack, the trial will test the evidence against them, and all observers can draw their own conclusions from that process. However, from what I have read about the subject I have no reason to suspect that there is a “hidden hand” behind it all; or that those accused are simply innocent victims of an elaborate set up organised by the current Spanish government.

Neither am I a victim of the Madrid bombings, and I’m in the fortunate position of being able to say that none of my family or friends were victims either. My partner travelled that morning on a train that went through Atocha station in the direction of Alcalá de Henares, and which was passed in its journey by every single one of the trains that carried the bombs. By the time the bombs exploded her train was far enough away to be completely safe. I was working away from home at the time and just caught the news of the explosions as I left for work that morning; despite being aware that her train should already have passed through Atocha, I had a short period of anxiety before I was able to talk to her and be sure that she was not affected. Many others were not so lucky. This blog will not claim to be speaking on their behalf, and I will not use the fate of the victims to try and give my own opinions or conclusions more weight. I prefer what I write to be judged on its own merits.